Definitions

jiū coiffure, topknot

Etymology phono-semantic

hair

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

A phono-semantic compound, consists of the hair radical atop the phonetic component (qiū). The radical places it in the realm of hair and grooming, while supplies the sound. The character denotes a hair bun or coiled hairstyle, and is especially common in the colloquial term 鬏髻 (jiūjì), hair twisted into a knot at the back or top of the head. Because it refers to a specific physical style, it never developed extended or figurative meanings. It remains a straightforward descriptive term found in literary descriptions of personal appearance and traditional hairstyles.